Chelsea duo a doubt for Trotters clash

Chelsea are sweating on the fitness John Terry and Frank Lampard for their Barclays Premier League game at Bolton.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed captain Terry and vice-captain Lampard are both doubts for Monday night's trip to the Reebok Stadium.

The Blues boss was more confident of Terry's fitness, with the defender having picked up a back injury this week, but he admitted he had no idea if Lampard would be available.

Ancelotti said: "We've got three days to check them and take a decision on the game. We have more possibilities with John Terry. Lampard, I really don't know if he's available or not."

The Italian's revelation came just 24 hours after the club played down a calf problem suffered by the 32-year-old Lampard, saying he was expected to be fit for Monday's game.

Should either he or Terry - or both - miss out, it would be a big blow for the champions, who are still trying to get their season back on track following their worst run in the league for almost 15 years.

That sequence coincided with injuries to Lampard and Terry and there will be concern among fans over whether Chelsea would be able to cope without them at high-flying Bolton.

Chelsea will travel to Bolton looking for a third straight win having thrashed Ipswich in the FA Cup before beating Blackburn in the league. But the litmus test for their revival will come away from home, with victory having eluded them on their travels since October. Five of their next six fixtures are away - including three in a row.

"We didn't take good results away from home, I know this," said Ancelotti, whose side will start the weekend in fourth, seven points behind Manchester United having played a game more.

"This is the reason we've lost our position in the table. But, to be objective, we played badly against Wolves and Marseille. When we deserved to win - against Birmingham, Tottenham also - we were a bit unlucky.

"We had a lot of chances at Birmingham to score, and we missed a penalty at the end of the game against Tottenham. Those performances weren't so bad, but the results were obviously no good."

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